Pickup mounting question

Ghostman

Ghostman

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When installing a pickup with the trim rings, how do you guys keep the pickup level? Using the springs and just the two points of mounting, mine always want to tilt in the ring.

Is it as simple as foam underneath, or is there some magical way I'm missing?
 
On my G400 if I remember, I found a piece of cardboard that was the exact thickness I needed and just wedged it in...... since I didn't have an appropriate piece of foam. The HB's on the Viking seem to be fairly parallel.... didn't need anything.
 
Ghostman said:
When installing a pickup with the trim rings, how do you guys keep the pickup level? Using the springs and just the two points of mounting, mine always want to tilt in the ring.

Is it as simple as foam underneath, or is there some magical way I'm missing?
Click to expand...
Check that the wiring isn't pulling it, or pushing it out of level.
Unless something is bent somewhere, the springs should keep it level with the ring if nothing is in the way.
 
The issue isn’t how they sit in the pickup ring. It’s whether or not the pups are parallel with the strings. Mine on my G400 looked great in the rings…. But they were not parallel to the strings. That required the shim thing. I used a properly sized piece of cardboard since I didn’t have any foam. Problem solved.

1707176921762.jpeg
 
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fitz said:
Check that the wiring isn't pulling it, or pushing it out of level.
Unless something is bent somewhere, the springs should keep it level with the ring if nothing is in the way.
Click to expand...
They sit slanted to the pickup ring even out of the guitar.
 
Mine slant. Some of them.
Heyn hen changing puckups (been awhile) do you have to remove the mounting rings or does pickup fit thru opening?
Also do you guys restring or with a stop tail slacken enough to remove tailpiece with strings?
 
This might be hard to understand with out a visual, but I always bend the feet on the pickup until it sits level. The only problem with that is it can make the pickup off center in the ring if you have to twist them more than just a little bit. It's always worked for me.

A possible problem I see with foam on one side to tilt it is it can tilt it more than you want it to so it might be tricky to get it just right.

I don't see why they don't make pickups with 2 mounting screws on one side so you can adjust the tilt that way. Some direct mount pickups I've seen are that way.
 
DirtySteve said:
...

I don't see why they don't make pickups with 2 mounting screws on one side so you can adjust the tilt that way. Some direct mount pickups I've seen are that way.
Click to expand...
Come to think of it, I had a Godin once that had 2 screws on one side. I remember it was a trick to swap pickups in.
 
DirtySteve said:
This might be hard to understand with out a visual, but I always bend the feet on the pickup until it sits level. The only problem with that is it can make the pickup off center in the ring if you have to twist them more than just a little bit. It's always worked for me.

A possible problem I see with foam on one side to tilt it is it can tilt it more than you want it to so it might be tricky to get it just right.

I don't see why they don't make pickups with 2 mounting screws on one side so you can adjust the tilt that way. Some direct mount pickups I've seen are that way.
Click to expand...
I always thought it makes no sense that they wouldn't have at least two tabs on one side so you could adjust the angle compared to the strings. Weird to me.

My issue exactly is it seems trial and error to fit foam underneath the pickup to get it level. But when I get things set up on the trim rings, they just don't sit level even outside of the guitar. Irritating.
 
I would prefer direct mounting but every axe I own has trim rings that mount the pickups.
 
DirtySteve said:
I don't see why they don't make pickups with 2 mounting screws on one side so you can adjust the tilt that way. Some direct mount pickups I've seen are that way.
Click to expand...

Well, you're in luck! That is the way Fender does some of their pickups!

See the pic below of my Strat.

The pickup is the original Fender DH-1 pickup.

There are two screws on the left side of the pickup. These allow you to adjust the pickup angle.

AmDlxStrat_WilkinsonSaddles_sm.jpg

Here are a couple shots of what this pickup looks like. These pics are not of my pickup; though, I have had the pick guard off my guitar and mine looks like this.

1707219113468.png

1707219141427.png
 
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New pickup screws came in yesterday so I mounted the pickups and restrung to see how these sit. After playing with the springs for a while and the pickup wire routing, I got them to sit correctly.

Then I plugged into my tuner to finish the string install and realized, "hey bonehead. You didn't connect them up yet." oof
 
smitty_p said:
Well, you're in luck! That is the way Fender does some of their pickups!

See the pic below of my Strat.

The pickup is the original Fender DH-1 pickup.

There are two screws on the left side of the pickup. These allow you to adjust the pickup angle.

View attachment 97712

Here are a couple shots of what this pickup looks like. These pics are not of my pickup; though, I have had the pick guard off my guitar and mine looks like this.

View attachment 97713

View attachment 97714
Click to expand...
What strat is that smithy? Looks nice.
 
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